A banner across the front of the balcony to the rear of the Paul Gerhardt Museum in Germany proclaims to those who enter, "Befiehl du deine Wege", meaning entrust your days and burdens. . .to whom? . . . to God who controls everything. One of Gerhardt's hymns, "Holy Spirit, Source of Gladness", contains this verse:
"Let that love which knows no measure
Now in quickening showers descend,
Bringing us the richest treasures
Man can wish or God can send;
Hear our earnest supplications,
Every struggling heart release;
Rest upon this congregation,
Spirit of untroubled peace."
Mental energy is powerful in your 20's and 30's when you haven't lost many neurons yet, and then, thereafter, generally you are on a gradual slope down both mentally and physically. This is reality and no one can escape from it. It is important to get hold of all the knowledge and wisdom you acquire as you grow older, write them if you must...learning does not stop when you grow old, it is a continuing process. Life, too, is a constant process of adjustment. Human being is a social animal - he needs stimuli, he needs to meet people, friends who he can interact with and learn from. Withdrawing and isolating yourself from your friends can be the biggest mistake of your life. It is so depressing which would make anyone ill from psychosomatic diseases. The constant interaction with people will keep you aware of what's going on around you and keep you alive and adjusted to the present world. You also must exercise and have a passion or interest in life that you can pursue and develop. If not, leading a sedentary life could be . . . fatal. You will die quickly and that's for certain.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 We do not lose heart, because our inner being is renewed each day even though our body is being destroyed at the same time. The present burden of our trial is light enough, and earns for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. We do not fix our gaze on what is seen but on what is unseen. What is seen is transitory; what is unseen lasts forever.
2 Corinthians 5:1 Indeed, we know that when the earthly tent in which we dwell is destroyed we have a dwelling provided for us by God, a dwelling in the heavens, not made by hands but to last forever.
The body where our spirit lives right now is just temporary. As we grow old, the eyes grow dim, the ears could no longer hear as they used to, the bones are not as strong as when you were younger and the whole body weakens day by day. We also become forgetful and the hands are trembling already. These are the very signs that our earthly body is slowly dying but never lose heart. Although our body is weakening, our spirit, on the other hand, is becoming stronger. We are being renewed each passing day. Didn't you notice that those who are already old are becoming more and more interested in spiritual matters? Aging and weakening of the body push people to focus more on God. They learn to concentrate more on things that are unseen rather than on things visible to the naked eye. They also able to differentiate things that are fleeting from things eternal. And moved by the love of God, they tend to care more for heavenly treasures rather than material things.
Therefore, our eyes should focus on things that are unseen. Never look at the weaknesses of old age but fix your eyes on who and what you are at the sight of God who loves you, what you believe in and what you can do about it. "For our sakes, God made him who did not know sin, to be sin, so that in him we might become the very holiness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) In running, aim for the gold prize which is being with Jesus in Heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment